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THE  CROSS,  ANCIENT  AND  MODERN. 


MURA].  TABLET  IN  THE  TEMPLE  OE  THE  CKO: 


C|k  Crocs, 


ANCIENT  ANI)  MODERN. 


BY 


WILLSON  W.  BLAKE. 


NEW  YORK 


ANSON  D.  F.  RANDOLPH  AND  COMPANY. 


Copyright , 188S, 

By  Anson  D.  F.  Randolph  and  Company. 


^nibersit?  ?9rtss: 

John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge. 


list  of  ’Illustrations 


Fic.  Pace 

Mural  Tablet  in  the  Temple  of  the 
Cross  . Frontispiece 


1.  Arani 11 

2.  Agni 12 

3.  Trojan  Cross 1 2 

4.  s-  Future  Life i2 

6,  7,  8.  Divine  Life 13 

9.  Cross  of  Horus 13 

10.  Priest  of  Horus 13 

11.  Bacchus,  with  Cup  and  Branch  . 14 

ii£.  Head  of  Bacchus 14 

12.  Cake  offered  to  Bacchus  ...  14 

13.  Heart  of  Bel 15 

14.  Scandinavian  Cross 15 

15.  Good  Omen 15 

16.  Labyrinth  of  Good  Fortune  15 

17.  Cross  of  Hindostan  ....  16 

18.  Buddhist  Cross 16 

19.  Buddhist  Cross 16 

20.  Siva  and  Sati 17 

21.  Jantra 17 

22.  Mercury 17 

23.  Caduceus 17 

24  Egyptian  Cross 17 

25.  Haman’s  Gallows 18 

26.  Samsi-Vul 18 

27.  Greek  Cross 18 

28.  Diana  of  the  Ephesians  ...  19 

29.  Oriental  Standards 19 


Fig. 

Pace 

30.  Roman  Coin,  with  Cross  of  Saturn 

•9 

31.  Labarum  of  Constantine 

•9 

32.  Labarum  of  Constantine 

'9 

33.  Japanese  Cross  . . . 

20 

34.  Latin  Cross  .... 

20 

35.  Greek  Cross  .... 

20 

36.  Cross  of  Saint  Andrew 

20 

37.  Patriarchal  Cross  . . 

21 

38.  Triple  Cross  .... 

21 

39.  Maltese  Cross .... 

21 

40.  Cross  of  Jerusalem 

21 

41.  Latin  Crosslet  . . 

22 

42.  Greek  Crosslet  . . . 

22 

43.  Cross  Cleche  .... 

22 

44.  Cross  Corded  .... 

22 

45.  Cross  Bottony . . . . 

22 

46.  Cross  Pattee  .... 

22 

47.  The  Pall 

22 

48.  Saltier 

22 

49  Cross  Pommee  . . . 

22 

50.  Cross  Fourchde  . . . 

22 

51.  Cross  Raguled  . . . 

22 

52.  Caricature  of  a Christian 

23 

53.  Singanfu  Cross.  (Actual 

size.)  . 

24 

54  The  Oransay  Cross  . 

26 

55.  Manx  Cross  .... 

2 7 

56  The  Speaking  Cross 

3i 

57.  Nicaragua  Cross  . . 

3i 

58.  Cross  of  Serpents  . . 

3i 

8 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Kig 

Page 

Fig. 

Page 

59- 

Cross  of  Teotihuacan  . 

32 

81.  General  Mexican  Period  of  2 

60 

6o. 

The  Sun  of  the  Aztecs  . 

33 

Years 

43 

61. 

The  Four  Aztec  Ages  . 

33 

82.  Maya,  Period  of  8000  Years 

44 

62. 

Nahui-Ollin  .... 

35 

83.  Maya  Purse 

44 

63- 

Earthquake  .... 

35 

84.  Nachan  Monolith  .... 

45 

64. 

Three  Shocks  . . . 

35 

85.  Fain’s  Island,  Tenn.  . . . 

46 

65. 

Teocuitlatla  .... 

36 

86.  Lick  Creek,  Tenn 

46 

66. 

Yucatan  Pendant  . . 

36 

87.  Ohio  Copper  Disk  .... 

46 

67. 

Yucatan  Pendant  . . 

36 

88.  Union  County,  111.  . . . 

46 

68. 

TIaxcalan  Cross  . . . 

37 

89.  Charleston,  Mo 

46 

69. 

Quiche  Crucifixion  . . 

38 

90.  Mississippi  Cross  and  Sun  . 

46 

70. 

Cross  of  Mayapan  . . 

40 

91.  Belleville,  111 

46 

7i- 

Tarascan  Amulet 

40 

92.  New  Madrid,  Mo 

46 

72. 

Zapotec  Money  . . . 

4' 

93.  St.  Clair  County,  Tenn.  . . 

46 

73- 

Mexican  Cross  . . . 

4' 

94.  Looped  Figure 

49 

74- 

Mexican  Cross  . . . 

41 

95.  Looped  Figure  and  Greek  Cross 

49 

75- 

The  Year  

41 

96.  Runtee 

49 

76. 

Tree  of  Life  .... 

42 

97.  Mound  Pottery 

49 

77- 

First  Mexican  Period  of  260 

years 

43 

98.  Mound  Pottery 

49 

78. 

Second  Mexican  Period 

of 

260 

99.  Mound  Pottery 

49 

Years 

43 

too.  Zufii  Cross  

49 

79- 

Third  Mexican  Period 

of 

260 

toi.  Zufii  Emblem  of  Fertility 

49 

Years 

43 

102.  Sacred  Water-fly  . . . . 

49 

80. 

Fourth  Mexican  Period 

of 

260 

103.  Wolpi  Cross 

49 

Years 

43 

104.  The  Cross  of  Cozumel  . • 

51 

I. 


£l)c  Cross  tn  tl)c  Orient. 


T H E C ROSS. 


i. 


Jn  tl)c  Orient. 


HRIST,  crucified  on  the  tree,  died  to  save  sinners.  For 


nearly  nineteen  centuries  the  sacred  symbol  has  indi- 
cated redemption  to  fallen  humanity.  But  centuries  pre- 
vious to  his  self-sacrifice  the  cross  had  been  known  to  all 
peoples  and  in  all  lands.  Let  us  briefly  trace  its  development 
as  it  appears  shining  through  the  mists  of  former  ages. 
Going  back  to  what  may  be  appropriately  called  semi-historic 
times,  we  find  the  mystical  figure  among  the  hieroglyphs  of 
antiquity. 

Among  the  early  Aryan  nations  the  cross  was  an  object 
of  adoration.  With  them  it  was  represented  as  in 
Pier.  r.  and  called  arani.  Its  two  arms  were  | 

o 1 l ■* 

named  pramatha  and  swastika.  They  were  merely  f 

two  pieces  of  wood  with  handles,  and  by  rubbing  Fig.  i. 

Arani. 


together  they  kindled  the  sacred  fire,  agni. 

From  pramatha  comes  the  Grecian  myth  of  Prometheus, 


THE  CROSS 


I 2 

• 

# 

r 

• 

Fig.  2. 
Ac.ni. 

who  stole  the  tire  of  heaven  from  Zeus  in  a hollow 
staff  and  kindled  the  divine  spark  of  life  in  man 
formed  of  clay.  Hence  in  worshipping  the  cross, 
the  Aryans  were  but  worshipping  the  element 
fire.  This  element  — as  sparks  issuing  from  the 
cross  — is  still  more  fully  expressed  in  Fig.  2. 

The  Vedic  story  is  that  the  father  of  the  sacred  fire  was 
called  Twastri;  that  is  to  say,  “ Divine  Carpenter.”  He  was 
the  creator  of  the  swastika  and  the  pramatha , whose  recip- 
rocal friction  produced  the  divine  son,  Agni.  In  his  interest- 
ing work  upon  the  Origin  of  Fire,  Adelbert  Kuhn  designated 
both  Figs.  1 and  2 under  the  title  of  Arani,  and  beheld 
them  as  religious  symbols  of  our  ancestors,  the  Aryans. 

In  the  disks  of  baked  clay  met  with  in  such  abundance 
by  Dr.  Schliemann  in  the  excavations  of  ancient 
Ilium,  are  frequently  figured  the  two  forms  of  the 
cross  above  shown,  — whence  has  been  deduced 
the  conclusion,  very  natural,  that  the  Trojans  were 
of  Aryan  filiation.  On  these  same  disks  is  also 
often  found  the  peculiar  cross  of  Fig.  3,  which  is 
apparently  analogous  to  the  others. 

Justus  Lipsius,  in  a quaint  old  treatise 
upon  the  Cross,  published  in  Paris  in 
159S,  speaks  of  it  as  found  in  the  in- 
scriptions of  Egypt,  and  as  meaning 
“ Future  Life  ” (Figs.  4 and  5).  The  most 
common  name  among  the  Egyptians  for  the  cross  was  canob , 
from  the  god  Canopus. 


4 


D 


Fig-  3- 

Trojan  Cross. 


T 


T 


Figs.  4 and  5.  — Future 
Life. 


IN  THE  ORIENT. 


Champollion,  the  great  French  archeologist, — who  dis- 
covered the  true  key  to  the  Egyptian  hieroglyphs  by  means 
of  the  trilingual  inscription  on  the  Rosetta  Stone,  — gives,  in 
one  of  his  works  published  in  Paris  in  1828,  three  additional 


T 


A 


^=4 


Figs.  6,  7,  8.  — Divine  Life 


variations  of  the  handled  cross  (Pigs.  6,  7,  and  8),  with  the 
general  interpretation  of  “ Divine  Life.” 

A similar  cross  (Fig.  9)  is  often  seen  engraved  on 
the  ancient  sepulchres  of  Egypt.  It  is 
the  symbol  of  life,  and  represented  as 
borne  in  the  hands  of  the  god  Horus. 

It  has  been  called  the  sacred  tan , or 
Crux  ansata. 

Fig.  10  is  a priest  of  Horus  wearing 
the  cross  on  his  vestments.  Antiqua- 
rians give  the  figure  a date  of  fifteen 
centuries  before  the  Christian  era.  In  Greece 
Horus  was  called  Bacchus. 

In  Figs.  11  and  i\]/2  the  bacchanalian  god  is  shown  with 
his  head-dress  decked  with  crosses.  He  was  adored,  under 
the  symbol  of  a cake  of  flour  (Fig.  12),  as  early  as  the  year 
1225  b.c.  in  the  city  of  Thebes,  Greece,  where  his  cult  was 
established  by  Cadmus,  whose  son  was  the  chief  of  the  Seven 
Heroes  of  Greece.  Two  of  these  cakes  were  found  in  the 


Fig.  9. 

C ROSS  OF 
Horus. 


Fig.  10.  — Priest 
of  Horus. 


THE  CROSS 


14 

ruins  of  Herculaneum,  which  was  destroyed  in  the  year  79  a.  d. 
In  Egypt  these  cakes  bore  the  symbols  of  Seb,  the  father-god, 


Fig.  11.  — Bacchus,  with  Cup 
and  Branch. 


Fig.  1 1 J4 . — Head  of  Bacchus. 


Fig  12. — Cake  offered  to 
Bacchus. 


Isis,  the  mother-god,  and  Horus,  the  son-god,  and  were  made 
of  flour,  salt,  honey,  oil,  and  wine.  Reference  is  made  to  this 
worship  in  the  Bible  (Jeremiah  vii.  18). 

The  Bel,  Baal,  or  Beelzebub  of  the  Bible,  in  his  character 
of  sovereign  or  king,  is  the  god  Tammuz  of  Babylon.  He  is 
called  the  “hammer"  in  prophecy  (Jeremiah  1.  23).  The  Tyrians 
worshipped  him  by  the  sign  of  the  cross,  or  hammer,  of  Figs. 
14  and  40.  Singular  to  note,  Fig.  14  is  also  in  Scandinavian 
mythology  the  mark  of  Thor,  the  son  of  Odin  and  Freya, 
and  the  god  of  thunder,  from  whose  name  Thursday  (Thor’s 


IN  THE  ORIENT. 


15 


Fig.  13.  — Heart 
ok  Hel. 


CL 


rJ 


day)  is  derived.  Bel  is  a Chaldeean  word,  meaning  “ heart.” 
Further  to  identify  Bel  with  Tammuz,  we  see  in 
Babylonish  inscriptions  the  latter  signified  by  a 
heart,  from  which  springs  a single  or  double  cross 
(Fig.  13).  To  make  the  connection  more  evident, 
the  heart  is  frequently  found  painted  red. 

Holmboe,  in  his  work,  published  thirty  years 
ago,  on  the  Traces  of  Buddhism  in  Norway,  says  that  the  cross 
of  singular  form  (Fig.  14)  seen  on  rare  Hindoo  coins 
is  likewise  encountered  on  many  ornaments  of  gold 
found  in  Scandinavian  excavations.  Very  notable 
is  this  cross,  not  only  because  its  use  was  general, 
but  for  the  salutary  effect  attributed  to  it,  especially 
by  the  Buddhists.  Patterson,  who  wrote  in  1 798, 
says  that  this  is  the  cumbh  of  the  Hindoos. 

The  mystical  “ Good  Omen  ” (Pig.  15)  familiar  to 
many  Hindoo  sects  differs  from  P'ig.  1,  since  its 
arms  turn  from  left  to  right,  instead  of  from  right 
to  left.  It  appears  on  the  oldest  medallions  of  the 
Buddhists,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  inscriptions  seen  engraved 


L 


Fig.  14. 

Scandinavian 

Cross. 


Fig.  15. 
Good  Omen. 


X 


-/ 


-i_( 

[3- 

pj 

Fig.  16.  — Labyrinth  of 
Good  Fortune. 


upon  the  walls  of  their  ancient  caverns  are 
preceded  or  followed  by  this  sacred  mark. 
It  is  also  found  in  China,  with  a significance 
similar  to  that  assigned  to  it  in  India. 

The  labyrinthine  design  of  P'ig.  16  also 
is  a symbol  of  good  fortune.  It  was  the 
ground-plan  of  a certain  class  of  sacred 


edifices  of  the  Brahmas,  who  called  it  vandavartaya. 


THE  CROSS 


16 


The  only  difference  between  the  cross  of  Fig.  i and  that 
of  Fig.  1 7,  the  ouan,  is  that  the  arms  of  the  latter  are  shorter. 
The  ouan  is  considered  by  the  Buddhists  as  one  of  their  most 
important  figures  among  the  sixty-five  which  they  imagine  they 
see  in  the  footprint  of  Buddha.  The  biography  of 
Hiouen-Thsang  mentions  a rock  with  these  prints, 

r — ‘ J 

and  states  that  at  the  extremities  of  the  ten  toes  are 

seen  flowers  terminating  with  the  mystical  sign  of  Fig.  17. 

Fig.  1 7.  Father  Hyacinthe  says  that  the  women  of  Hindustan. 

Thibet  adorn  their  dresses  with  this  cross.  According 

to  M.  Pallas,  the  Mongolians  draw  it  on  pieces  of  paper,  which 

they  place  on  the  breast  of  the  dead.  In  Hindostan,  says 

Taylor  in  his  Dictionary,  this  figure,  under  the  name  of  scl/iia, 


was  marked  on  the  ground  with  flour  during  marriage-feasts 
and  other  ceremonies.  The  Vaishnavas,  in  their  worship  of 
Vishnu,  make  use  of  a sacred  vase,  marking  it  with  the  same 
figure.  Figs.  18  and  19  are  elaborate  forms  of  Buddhist  crosses 
found  to-day  throughout  Thibet. 

The  Saivas  mark  their  sacred  vases  with  a double  triangle 

o 

(Fig.  20).  The  upright  pyramid  signifies  Siva,  who,  with  these 
three  points,  unites  in  himself  the  attributes  of  purity,  truth, 


IN  TH  K ORIENT. 


17 


and  justice.  The  inverted  triangle  is  his  consort,  Sati,  with 
the  same  characters  and  attributes.  An  exact  copy  of  this 
double  triangle  is  found  in  the  temple  of  the  Sun,  among 
the  ancient  ruins  of  Uxmal,  Yucatan,  sculptured  in  stone. 


Fig.  20.  — Siva  and  Sati.  Fig.  21. — Jantra. 


Fig.  22.  — Mercury. 


The  Hindoo  worshippers  of  Sacti,  the  female  principle  in 
Nature,  mark  their  vases  with  the  arrow-like  sign,  jantra 
(Fig.  21).  It  is  a hieroglyph  encountered  throughout  India 
in  great  variety. 

With  Fig.  22  the  Egyptian  astronomers  denoted  Mercury  in 
the  signs  of  the  Zodiac.  The  circle  represented  the  diffusion 
of  the  Divine  Mind  in  the  sidereal  world,  and  the  cross  the 
diffusion  of  the  elements. 

Fig.  23  is  the  caduceus,  or  Mercury’s  rod,  — a 
wand  entwined  by  two  serpents  and  surmounted 
by  two  wings.  The  ancient  poets  attributed  won- 
derful powers  to  it.  On  medals  the  caduceus  is 
a symbol  of  good  conduct,  peace,  and  prosperity. 

The  rod  represents  power;  the  serpents  ( 1 

typify  wisdom  ; and  the  two  wings,  dili- 
gence and  activity. 

The  figure  known  in  heraldry  as  the 
Egyptian  cross  is  given  in  Fig.  24.  Lar- 
rainzar  says  that  this  is  but  a variation  of  the  canob  (Figs.  4 
to  8),  which  the  Egyptians  considered  as  an  emblem  of  the 


F‘g-  23 
Caduceus. 


Fig.  24. 
Egyptian 
C ROSS. 


1 8 


THE  CROSS 


inundations  of  the  Nile.  The  canob  was  an  instrument  for 
measuring  the  progress  of  the  annual  rise  of  the  sacred  river. 
The  life  and  prosperity  of  the  nation  were  entirely  dependent 
upon  this  overflow.  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  in 
time  the  sign  of  this  measuring  rod  came  to  be  considered 
as  a deity  to  whom  worship  must  be  rendered. 

The  cross  as  an  instrument  of  capital  punishment  was 
used  in  the  time  of  Abraham.  Nimrod,  the  founder  of  Nin- 
eveh, suspended  from  it  Tarno,  or  Tarin,  king  of  Media, 

r i according  to  the  testimony  of  Diodorus  the  his- 

' torian.  As  a gibbet  it  was  known  to  the  Per- 
sians, Egyptians,  Africans,  Macedonians,  Greeks, 
Fig  2.  and  Romans.  The  gallows  of  Hainan,  fifty  cubits 
haman’s  Gal-  jn  height,  was  but  a cross  (Fig.  25). 

Samsi-Vul,  the  king  of  Persia  who  ruled  in 
the  year  850  h.  c.,  wore  a cross  pendent  from 
his  neck  as  an  act  of  worship  to  his  god 
( Fig.  26).  This  cross  is  similar  to 
that  found  in  recent  excavations 
at  Athens  (Pig.  27). 

The  images  of  the  goddess 
Diana  of  the  Ephesians  (Fig.  28)  F|g  -~- 

Greek  Cross. 

show  that  in  the  time  of  Paul  she 
bore  a Christian  cross  on  her  head,  a Moslem  crescent  on 
her  left,  and  the  Hindoo  star  on  her  right. 

The  cross  and  crescent  were  combined  in  the  Oriental 
standards  (Fig.  29)  centuries  before  the  time  of  Christ. 

Roman  coins  of  the  period  of  26911.  c.  show  the  cross  of 


IN  THE  ORIENT. 


19 


Saturn  (Fig.  30)  with  distinctness.  Ac- 
cording to  Gaume,  the  illustrious  writer, 
all  the  Roman  standards  bore  this  cross, 


Fig.  28.  — Diana  ok  the  Ephesians.  Fig.  29.  — Oriental  Standards. 


and  Constantine,  being  unable  to  vary  the  banner  of  the  Empire, 
added  “ XP,”  the  Greek  sign  for  Christ,  to  the  imperial  flag, 

312  a.  d (Fig.  31.)  In 
dedicating  anything  to 
the  service  of  Christ, 
the  forms  used  were  as 
Fie. 


Obverse.  Reverse. 

Pig.  jo.  — Roman  Coin,  with  Cross 
of  Saturn. 


J 


Fig.  32. 

I.ABARUM  OF  CONSTANTINE. 


in  Rig.  32. 

The  Druids  adored 
the  tree  as  a symbol  of 
their  god.  They  gen- 
erally selected  a state- 
ly oak  in  the  forest ; 
and  leaving  two  large 
branches  on  opposite 


sides,  cut  and  trimmed  it  so  as  to  form  a giant  cross. 
On  its  trunk  the  T was  also  repeatedly  engraved. 


Fig-  31 

Labarum  ok 
Constantine 

In  hoc  S igno  Vinces 


20 


THE  CROSS 


X 


7 


On  the  5th  of  February,  1537  a.  d.,  the  Japanese  crucified  a 
Franciscan  missionary,  Felipe  de  Jesus,  a native  of  Mexico,  on 
a cross  similar  to  Fig.  33.  He  was  fastened  to 
the  wood  by  means  of  iron  rings  placed  around 
his  neck,  wrists,  and  ankles.  This  was  the  first 
Mexican  saint,  and  the  font  in  which  the  Indian 
Fig.  33.  martyr  was  baptized  is  still  preserved  with  honor 
ank.sk v jn  j.jie  grea|-  cathedral  of  the  city  of  Mexico. 

Thus  the  cross  has  been  known  by  the  different  peoples  of 
the  Old  World  from  the  most  remote  antiquity.  Used  by  the 
Romans  as  a method  of  ignominious  punishment,  and  for  the 
purpose  of  striking  terror  into  the  bands  of 
thieves  that  infested  the  various  provinces 
of  the  Empire,  it  was  converted  into  the 
holy  Tree  of  Salvation  by  the  death  of  the 
Saviour.  The  principal  forms  of  the  Chris- 
tian cross  are  the  Latin  (Fig.  34),  Crux  Com - 
missa ; the  Greek  (Fig.  35),  Crux  Immissa ; and  the 
cross  of  Saint  Andrew  and  Saint  Patrick  (Fig.  36), 
Crux  Dccussata.  On  this  last  cross  the  patron 
saint  of  Scotland  suffered  martyrdom. 

Let  us  look  at  some  of  the  variations  of  these 
leading  forms. 

In  the  Church  of  Rome  the  simple  Latin 
Cross  is  carried  before  bishops ; the  Double 
Cross,  called  in  heraldry  the  Patriarchal  (Fig.  37), 
is  carried  before  cardinals  and  archbishops;  and  the  Triple 
Cross  (Pig.  38)  is  carried  only  before  the  Pope.  The  Maltese 


Fig-  35- 
Greek 
Cross. 


Fig.  36- 
Cross  of 
Saint  Andrew. 


IN  THE  ORIENT. 


2 I 


Cross  (Fig.  39)  is  but  an  eight-cornered  variation  of  the  Greek, 
and  the  Cross  of  Jerusalem  (Fig.  40),  or  Cross  Potent  of 
heraldry,  is  still  another  style  of  the  Greek. 


Fig-  37- 
Patriarchal 
Cross. 


cYi 

4 

wdL 

Fig-  39- 

Maltese  Cross. 


Fig-  40. 
Cross  of 
Jerusalem. 


The  cross  in  heraldry  varies  so  much  that  Menestrier  counts 
forty-two  forms,  Guillim  thirty-nine,  and  La  Colombiere  sev- 
enty-two. Fig.  41,  often  seen  on  the  escutcheons  of  ancient 
and  noble  families  everywhere  in  Europe,  is  the  Latin 
Crosslet,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  forms  of  architecture.  Pig. 
42  is  the  Greek  form  of  the  Crosslet.  F'ig.  43  is  the  Cleche, 
a variety  of  the  Greek  cross  charged  with  another  cross  of  the 
same  figure,  but  of  the  color  of  the  field.  Fig.  44  is  the  Cross 
Corded,  of  which  there  are  some  notable  examples  in  heraldry. 
The  Cross  Bottony  (Fig.  45)  has  each  arm  terminating  in  three 
buds,  knots,  or  buttons, — according  to  Burke, — resembling  in 
some  measure  the  three-leaved  grass.  The  Cross  Pattee  (Fig. 
46)  has  arms  very  narrow  at  the  inner,  and  very  broad  at  the 
outer  end.  The  Pall  (Fig.  47)  imitates  the  form  of  the  con- 
secrated vestment  worn  by  ecclesiastics,  and  has  somewhat  the 
appearance  of  the  letter  Y.  The  Saltier  ( Fig.  48)  is  the  Saint 
Andrew’s  Cross  in  heraldrv,  and  one  of  the  greater  or  honor- 


I'HE  CROSS 


Fig.  44.  — Cross  Corded. 


Fig.  45.  — Cross  Bottony. 


Fig.  46.  — Cross  Pattee. 


Fig.  47.  — The  Pall. 


Fig.  48.  — Saltier.  Fig.  49.  — Cross  Pomm£e. 


Fig.  50.  — Cross  Fourch£e. 


Fig.  51. — Cross  Raguled. 


IN  THE  ORIENT. 


23 


able  ordinaries.  The  Cross  Pommee  (Fig.  49)  has  the  arms 
terminating  in  rounded  protuberances  resembling  apples.  The 
Cross  Fourchee  (Fig.  50)  has  the  arms  forked  or  branched,  and 
the  ends  of  the  branches  terminating  abruptly,  as  if  cut  off. 
The  Cross  Raguled  (Fig.  51)  is  jagged  or  notched  in  an  irreg- 
ular manner.  The  above  examples  in  heraldry  are  sufficient 
for  purposes  of  illustration. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  specimens  of  caricature  which 
the  ruins  of  classic  cities  have  disclosed  was  found  in  1857 
upon  the  wall  of  a narrow  Roman  street,  which  was  closed  up 
and  shut  out  from  the  light  of  day  about  a.  d.  ioo  to  facilitate 
an  extension  of  the  imperial  palace.  The  wall  when  uncovered 
was  found  scratched  all  over  with  rude  caricature  drawings  in 
the  style  of  the  specimen  given  (Fig.  52).  This  one  imme- 
diately arrested  attention,  and 
that  part  of  the  wall  on  which 
it  was  drawn  was  carefully  re- 
moved to  the  Collegio  Romano, 
in  the  museum  of  which  it  may 
now  be  inspected.  The  Greek 
words  scrawled  upon  the  pic- 
ture may  be  translated  thus : 

“ Alexamenos  is  worshipping 
his  god.”  This  would  indicate 
that  the  picture  was  aimed  at 
some  member,  to  us  unknown, 
of  the  despised  sect  of  Chris-  pj 

tians.  It  is  the  Only  ancient  Caricature  of  a Christian. 


24 


THE  CROSS 


allusion  to  Christianity  to  be  found  on  the  walls  of  old  Italian 
cities. 

The  famous  Singanfu  inscription  is  the  most  remarkable,  if 
not  the  only,  memorial  of  the  Christian  Church  that  once 


flourished  so  extensively  throughout  Central  and  Eastern  Asia. 
It  was  discovered  in  1625  in  a suburb  of  Singanfu,  which  is  a 
populous  city  of  China,  and  situate  on  an  affluent  of  the 
Hoang-ho.  The  slab  upon  which  the  inscription  is  engraved 


IN  THE  ORIENT. 


2 5 


in  Chinese  and  Syriac  characters  bears  the  date  of  781  a.  d., 
and  appears  to  have  been  intended  to  commemorate  the  intro- 
duction of  Christianity  into  China  in  635  a.  d.  by  the  Nes- 
torians.  The  cross  accompanying  the  inscription  is  given 
under  Fig.  53. 

In  one  of  the  isles  of  western  Scotland  is  found  the 
Oransay  Cross  (Fig.  54),  which  is  said  to  have  been  erected 
by  Saint  Colomba  in  the  sixth  century.  It  is  still  perfect, 
having  successfully  resisted  the  beatings  of  the  storms  for 
ages. 

There  are  many  mysterious  traditions  in  the  Scottish  island 
of  Lewis-with-Harris,  one  of  the  Outer  Hebrides,  which  seem 
to  point  to  an  older  serpent-worship  among  the  Scandinavian 
descendants.  In  fact,  the  word  righuin,  which  throughout  the 
Highlands  means  a “princess,”  is  applied  in  the  Island  of  Lewis 
also  to  a serpent,  the  modern  explanation  being  that  there 
prevails  some  legend  of  the  serpent  being  a princess  metamor- 
phosed. The  so-called  Druidical  stones  of  Callemish,  on  this 
island,  are  inexplicable  memorials,  perhaps,  of  a race  that 
passed  away  in  silence  before  history  began  to  speak.  They 
are  long  rows  of  pillars  of  unwrought  gneiss,  which  meet  in  a 
common  centre,  which  is  also  a circle  of  pillars  with  a chief 
stone  sixteen  feet  high.  The  natives  call  them  Tuirsachan , 
which  signifies  the  “ place  of  mourning,”  or  Firbhreige , “ false 
men,”  — both  of  which  names  “ should  be  of  some  interest  to 
antiquarians,  as  they  will  suit  pretty  nearly  any  theory.”  There 
are  in  all  forty-eight  stones,  the  circle  is  forty-two  feet  in 
diameter,  and  the  approaches  to  it  form  a cross. 





IN  THE  ORIENT. 


27 


In  Ilkley,  England,  are  three  ancient  “ Runic  crosses,”  so 
called,  — for  people  insist  upon  calling  such  old  monuments 
crosses,  though  they  have  none  of  the 
characteristics,  except  the  main  shaft 
or  pedestal.  There  are  more  of  these 
vertical  shafts  to  be  found  at  Kirk  Brad- 
don,  in  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  one  of  them 
is  surmounted  by  the  fragment  of  a cross 
(Fig.  55).  Like  those  of  Ilkley,  this 
monument  is  covered  with  Runic  letters, 
figures  of  birds  and  hares  and  of  the 
human  form,  and  various  nondescript 
designs  intertwined  with  coils  of  ser- 
pents or  scrolls  of  ancient  characters. 

In  one  of  the  Ilkley  monuments  there 
is  a sculpture  of  a man  contending  with 
a two-footed  dragon.  Beginning  with 
Indra’s  contest  with  Vritra  in  ancient 
Sanskrit  mythology,  the  widespread  F,s- 55-— Manx  Cross- 
fable  has  passed  on,  to  become  Apollo  and  the  Python  in  one 
country,  Siegfried  and  Fafnir  in  another,  Saint  Patrick  and  the 
snakes  in  Ireland,  to  stamp  finally  on  every  English  sovereign 
the  legend  of  Saint  George  and  the  Dragon.  Are  not  all  but 
shadowy  legends  of  that  religion  which  was  inscribed  on  the 
cradle-side  of  our  infancy  in  the  East,  — the  eternal  conflict 
between  Good  and  Evil,  between  Man  and  the  Serpent  ? The 
Manx  cross  bears  on  one  side  a Norse  inscription  which  may 
be  interpreted : “ Thorlef  Neaki  erected  this  cross  to  Fiack,  his 


28 


THE  CROSS 


son,  the  nephew  of  Jahr.”  There  are  seven  of  these  curious 
monuments,  but  this  is  the  most  thoroughly  Scandinavian  of 
all  in  the  island. 

Marco  Polo  in  his  book  mentions  that  on  his  voyage  in 
1270  a.  d.  to  the  kingdoms  of  Kublai  Khan  and  Prester  John, 
he  passed  through  the  province  of  Tonocain,  “ where  the 
people  of  the  country  tell  you  was  fought  the  battle  between 
Alexander  and  King  Darius,”  and  “ where  is  found  the  Arbre 
sol  which  we  Christians  call  Arbre  sec."  Polo  doubtless  con- 
founded the  Arbre  sol  of  Alexandrian  romance  with  the  Ai'bre 
sec  of  Christian  legend.  The  former  plays  an  important  part 
in  the  cyclus  of  Alexandrian  fable  as  the  oracular  Tree  of  the 
Sun  that  foretold  Alexander’s  death.  The  latter  corresponds 
most  probably  with  the  legendary  oak  of  Abraham  at  Hebron. 
The  illustration  in  Polo’s  book  resembles  strikingly  the  Toltec 
Tree  of  Life.  (See  Fig.  76.) 


II. 

£I)c  Crofts  m tl)c  OcctDcnt. 


II. 


3u  tl)c  £>cctDcnt. 


TDASSING  now  from  the  world  called  Old  to  the  world  called 
L New,  over  an  ocean  whose  stormy  billows  were  thought 
to  present  an  impassable  barrier  to  wandering  mankind,  we  find 
the  monuments  and  remains  of  prehistoric  races  in  the  western 
hemisphere  plentifully  sprinkled  with  the  sacred  symbol.  The 
Spaniards  who  concpiered  New  Spain  in  the  name  of  the  Cross 
were  astonished  to  find  the  holy  emblem  of  their  own  faith 
already  an  object  of  worship  in  the  temples  of  Anahuac.  Of 
the  crosses  found  in  Mexico,  that  of  Metztitlan  offers  the  figure 
of  the  Greek  tau ; those  of  Huatulco,  Tepic,  Cuaotochco,  and 


other  places,  have  the  Latin  form  ; those  shown  in  the  sandals 
of  the  gods  in  the  Tonalamatl,  or  priestly  calendar,  arc  Grecian; 
and  there  are  innumerable  representatives  of  the  Maltese. 


32 


THE  CROSS 


The  cross  shown  in  Fig.  56  is  found  in  many  parts  of  Mexico. 
The  parrot-like  tongues  on  either  side  of  the  central  figure 
signify  “ speaking,”  or  “ discussion.” 

Fig.  57  represents  the  cross  found  by  Squier  in  Central 
America.  The  Mexican  enthusiast,  Orozco  y Berra,  claims 
that  at  first  glance  it  acknowledges  its  Buddhist  origin. 


The  famous  cross  of  serpents  (Fig.  58),  now  to  be  seen  in 
the  National  Museum  of  Mexico,  was  called  by  the  Aztecs 
Tonacacuahuitl,  “ the  Tree  of  the  Sun.”  With  them  the  sign 
coatl,  or  serpent,  was  symbolical  of  the  cyclical  periods  of  time. 
This  cross  was  carved  from  a basaltic  rock. 

Twenty-five  miles  northeast  of  the  city  of  Mexico  are  the 
celebrated  1 Sun  and  Moon  ” pyramids  of  Teotihuacan,  “ the 
city  of  the  Gods.”  Around  these  pyramids  — which  were  a 
thousand  years  old  when  Cortez  on  his  first  retreat  from  Te- 

nochtitlan  marched  his  hand- 
ful of  Spanish  adventurers  at 
their  bases  — met  and  mingled 
the  two  most  ancient  civiliza- 
tions of  America,  the  Nahoas 
of  the  North,  and  the  Maya- 
Ouiches  of  the  South.  This 
cross  (P'ig.  59)  indicates  three 
things,  — the  united  worship  of 
Tlaloc,  the  God  of  Rain ; an 
astronomical  expression  of  the 
vernal  equinox,  summer  sol- 
Fig.  59.  — Cross  of  Teotihuacan.  Stice,  autumnal  equinox,  and 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


33 


winter  solstice;  and  a sign  of  the  grand  chronological  period 
of  the  Toltecs.  It  is  a monument  from  a single  rock. 


Fig.  60,  copied  from  the  monument  of  Xochicalco,  is  the 
Sun  of  the  Aztecs  as  most  generally  represented  : it  was  the 
foundation  of  their  chronology.  In  all  Mexican  monuments  it 


Fig.  61.  — The  Four  Aztf.c  Ages. 
3 


34 


THE  CROSS 


is  indicated  with  protruding  tongue,  expressing  the  light  and 
heat  pouring  upon  the  earth. 

In  common  with  their  remote  predecessors,  the  Toltecs,  the 
Mexicans  believed  in  four  great  Ages,  or  “ Deaths  of  the  Sun.” 
In  the  second  inner  circle  of  the  “Aztec  Calendar”  these 
four  ages  are  clearly  expressed.  This  calendar  is  found  on  the 
great  rock  discovered  in  1790,  and  afterwards  built  against 
the  base  of  the  southwestern  tower  of  the  cathedral  of  the  city 
of  Mexico.1  The  four  Ages  appear  as  parallelograms  around 
the  central  face  of  the  Sun  (Fig.  61).  The  Age  of  Air  is 
shown  in  the  upper  left-hand  square;  that  of  Fire  in  the  lower 
left-hand  square ; Earth  in  the  upper  right-hand  square ; and 
Water  in  the  lower  right-hand  square.  Using  these  same  four 
squares  to  represent  the  seasons  in  their  complex  system,  the 
Aztecs  placed  Winter  in  the  upper  right-hand  square,  and  in- 
dicated its  strength  by  the  head  of  an  ocelotl,  or  Mexican  leop- 
ard; Spring,  which  was  the  warmest  season,  in  the  lower 
left-hand  square,  its  head  indicated  by  the  sign  calli,  or  house, 
because  in  the  house  is  the  hearth  where  the  fire  is  preserved ; 
Summer,  their  season  of  rains,  in  the  lower  right-hand  square, 
its  waters  indicated  by  the  sign  acatl,  or  reed;  and  Autumn 
in  the  upper  left-hand  square,  its  harvest  indicated  by  the  sign 
tochtli , or  rabbit.  With  the  “deaths”  of  the  first  three  “Suns” 
had  concluded  the  grand  catastrophes  that  placed  the  race  in 
danger  of  perishing;  and  under  this  aspect  the  conclusion  of 
the  fourth  Age  was  still  some  cycles  distant.  But  the  Mexi- 

1 In  the  month  of  September,  1885,  it  was  removed  to  the  National  Museum.  Its 
weight  is  53.790  lbs.  avoirdupois. 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


35 


cans  in  their  pride  made  an  innovation  by  inventing  a fifth 
Sun,  which  should  pertain  to  them  alone.  They,  who  wished 
to  have  a place  designated  by  the  gods  as  a heaven  for  them- 
selves alone,  and  to  be  a chosen  and  peculiar  people,  wished 
also  a Sun  of  their  own.  Accordingly,  on  the  day  in  which 
for  the  first  time  they  trod  the  islet  in  the  lake  where  now  is 
the  city  of  Mexico ; on  the  day  in  which  they  beheld,  in  the 
spot  where  now  is  the  public  fountain  in  the  Plaza  of  Santo 
Domingo,  the  eagle  posed  upon  the  cactus  with  the  serpent 
in  its  claws,  with  the  blue  sky  above  and  the  blue  waters  be- 
neath,— there  upon  the  heads  of  that  devoted  group  of  pilgrims 
the  Sun  of  the  Fifth  Age  poured  from  the  high 
heavens  its  flood  of  golden  light ! 

The  Nahui-Ollin  of  the  Aztecs,  as  repre- 
sented in  Fig.  62,  is  their  conventionalized 
idea  of  the  apparent  motion  of  the  sun,  which 
caused  the  annually  returning  seasons  of 
spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  winter. 

The  Mexican  pictograph,  Fig.  63,  is  com- 
posed of  the  mimic  sign  tlalli , “ earth,”  and 
the  ideograph  ollin , “ motion,” 

— the  whole  representing  an 
earthquake.  The  varying  sizes 
of  the  ollin  gave  indications  of 
the  force  and  duration  of  the 
shock,  and  the  repetition  of 
the  sign,  as  in  Fig.  64,  told  the 
times  that  the  phenomenon  was  repeated  on 
any  occasion. 


Fig.  62. 
Nahui-Oli.in. 


Three  Shocks 


36 


THE  CROSS 


F'g-  65- 

Teocuitlatla. 


Fig.  65  is  the  hieroglyphic  name  of  the  ancient  Mexican 
mining  town  of  Teocuitlatla,  “ where  gold 
abounds."  The  connection  between  the  hiero- 
glyphic and  its  interpretation  is  interesting. 
The  small  central  figure  of  the  cross  recalled 
the  idea  of  the  sun ; the  dots  surrounding  it 
were  excretions  of  the  same ; gold  was  an 
excrement  of  the  sun,  as  silver  was  of  the 
moon,  — hence  this  highly  conventionalized  symbol  of  a place 
where  gold  was  abundant. 

The  necklaces  of  shell,  with 
their  pendant  crosses,  found 
sculptured  on  the  monuments 
of  Yucatan  were  first  given  to 
the  light  by  Lord  Kingsborough 
r r*i'<s  in  his  sumptuous  work.  Fig. 

66,  with  its  equal  arms,  is  purely 
Greek,  while  the  T-shaped  Fig. 

67  is  Egyptian. 

Punishment  by  means  of  the 
cross  was  known  to  the  ancient  Tlaxcalan 
Republic.  Fig.  68  is  taken  from  one  of  their 
pictographs.  The  victim  did  not  die  from  starvation  and 
exhaustion,  but  was  killed  by  arrows  shot  into  his  body  from 
a little  distance  by  the  executioner. 

The  cross  found  in  the  State  of  Chiapas,  Mexico  (Fig.  69), 
represents  the  capital  punishment  of  a god  whose  head-dress 
greatly  resembles  those  of  the  androsphinxes  in  Egypt.  It 


Fig.  66. 

Yucatan  Pendant. 


Fig  67. 

Yucatan  Pendant. 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


37 


is  believed  that  idols  of  clay  were  made  of  this  figure,  as  to-day 
there  exists  no  ancient  copy  of  it,  but  only  the  mould  carved 
into  a solid  rock.  From  this  it  is  deduced  that  the  image 
was  that  of  a god  whose  effigy  was  much  reproduced  and 
reverenced. 


At  the  close  of  the  fifth  century  of  our  era  were  erected 
colossal  monuments  in  Nachan,  Yucatan.  Nachan  was 
thenceforward  called  Palemke,  “ the  City  of  the  Priests,”  as  it 
means  in  the  Quiche  tongue.  The  ruins  of  this  great  city 
were  not  discovered  by  the  Spaniards  until  the  year  1750,  and 
were  not  explored  until  nearly  a century  later.  They  are 
situated  in  a dense  tropical  forest.  The  Indian  Palemke  has 
been  very  improperly  modernized  or  euphonized  into  the  Cas- 


3§ 


THE  CROSS 


Fig.  69.  — Quiche  Crucifixion. 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


39 


tilian  Palenque,  “ palisade,”  or  “enclosure  made  with  palings,”  — 
thus  losing  sight  of  the  real  significance  of  the  word.  Among 
these  immense  ruins  are  found  vast  artificial  terraces  of  cut 
stone  surmounted  by  solid  edifices,  often  three  stories  in 
height,  and  covered  with  all  manner  of  figures  in  bold  relief. 
Many  of  the  colossal  statues,  carved  on  huge  slabs  of  stone, 
more  nearly  resemble  Grecian  than  Hindoo  or  Egyptian  art. 
In  the  “Temple  of  the  Cross  ” stood  three  mural  tablets 
covered  with  hieroglyphics.  One  of  these  slabs  is  now  in 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  at  Washington  ; the  central  stone, 
containing  the  famous  cross  and  one  of  its  attendant  priests, 
has  been  recently  placed  on  exhibition  in  the  new  hall  of  the 
National  Museum  of  Mexico;  and  the  remaining  one  is  in 
Palemke.  Each  tablet  is  over  six  feet  high,  is  four  feet  wide, 
and  six  inches  thick.  The  cross  (see  Erontispiece)  stands  on 
a pedestal  in  the  midst  of  a complication  of  hieroglyphics. 
The  priest,  with  features  and  vesture  marvellously  Asiatic, 
stands  perfectly  erect  with  outstretched  arms  and  open  lips, 
offering  a child  and  praying  to  the  cross.  The  bird  above  the 
cross  is  the  qitetzal,  the  Star  of  the  Morning.  The  singu- 
lar figure  beneath  the  pedestal  was  distinguished  in  1750  as 
being  a skull;  it  would  therefore  represent  miquiztli , the  Star  of 
the  Evening.  The  four  small  characters  that  stand  separately, 
two  on  each  side  of  the  cross,  are  the  four  initial  signs  or 
chronographs  of  the  epoch  in  which  it  was  sculptured.  The 
temple  of  Palemke  and  its  most  wonderful  monument  — which 
is  an  astronomical  symbol  and  a figurative  sign  of  the  grand 
chronological  period  of  eight  thousand  years  — were  dedicated 


4o 


THE  CROSS 


Fig.  70. 

Cross  of  Mayapan. 


to  the  Sun  as  the  great  creative  power,  to  the  Year  as  the  pro- 
ducer of  the  rains,  and  to  the  maximum  period  of  Time. 

Much  attention  has  recently  been  directed  to  the  cross  of 
Mayapan  (Fig.  70);  but  its  presence  among  a people  who  wor- 
shipped Kukulcan  is  not  surprising.  Kukul- 
can  was  the  Yucatan  deity  whom  the  Aztecs 
called  Ouetzalcoatl,  “the  plumed  serpent.” 

He  is  the  mythical  island  missionary,  white 
and  bearded,  who  appeared  in  the  first  cen- 
tury to  the  dwellers  of  Tula,  having  his 
clothes  covered  with  red  crosses.  He  taught 
the  religion  of  peace,  ascended  to  heaven 
from  the  pyramid  of  Cholula,  and  became  the  planet  Venus, 
or  the  god  of  Air.  As  the  bird  quetzal, , he  is  seen  resting 
on  the  Palemke  cross. 

The  Tarascan  tribe  of  Indians  in  the  Province  of  Micho- 
acan,  Mexico,  made  crosses  of  thin  copper  sheets,  in  the  form 
of  Fig.  71,  before  the  days  of  the  Spanish 
Conquest,  and  wore  them  as  amulets.  The 
Tarascans  called  this  cross  “ Tomini ; ” the 
Aztecs  called  it  “ Tamu.”  Some  philologists 
find  a connection  between  these  words  and 
the  Tammuz  of  Babylon.  In  the  Vatican  at 
Rome  there  is  preserved  an  Aztec  painting 
( Codex  Vaticanus , cxxviii.)  representing  the  Em- 
peror Montezuma  on  his  way  to  inaugurate  the  temple  of 
Huitzilopochtli,  the  god  of  war,  in  the  year  1501.  At  the 
head  of  the  procession  are  seen  two  red  crosses. 


Fig.  71. 
Tarascan 
Amulet. 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


41 


Fig.  72. 

Zapotec  Money. 


It  re- 


The  Zapotec  tribe  of  Indians  in  Oaxaca,  Mexico,  used  in 
lieu  of  money  an  anchor-like  crescent  of  thin 
copper  (Fig.  72).  In  the  year  1795  a laborer, 
ploughing  in  a field  near  Antequera,  un- 
earthed a large  pot  containing  twenty-three 
dozens  of  these  “coins.”  From  this  deposit 
all  the  world’s  museums  have  been  supplied 
with  specimens. 

Fig.  73  is  met  with  in  numerous  places  in  Mexico. 

sembles  the  Palemke  cross.  (See 
Frontispiece.) 

Fig.  74  is  a design  found  on  the 
antique  pottery  of  Mexico  which  has 
attracted  some  attention,  owing  to 
its  similarity  to  the  Mound  Gorget 
of  Fig.  92. 

Fig.  75  represents  a ray  of  the 
sun  traversing  a circle.  It  is  a 
chronograph  by  which  the  ancient  Zapotecs  ex- 
pressed the  word  “ year.” 

The  cruciform  tree  which  occurs  several  times  in 
the  ancient  Agave  manuscripts  has  been  interpreted  by  Cha- 
vero  as  the  hieratic  representation  of  the  fecund  virtue  of  the 
solar  rays.  It  is  the  “Tree  of  Life”  of  the  Toltecs.  I'o  us, 
the  diagonals  on  the  trunk  represent  the  circulation  of  the 
blood.  Its  vitality  is  manifest  by  arrows,  by  rays  of  the  sun, 
and  by  the  figure  of  the  creator-god,  Xiuhtletl,  above  the 
cross.  At  the  foot  of  the  tree,  beneath  the  priests  who  stand 


F'g-  74- 
Mexican 
Cross. 


Fig.  75- 
The  Year. 


42 


THE  CROSS 


on  either  side,  are  two  globes  with  horns  of  cipaclli , or  light, 
representing  the  Morning  and  Evening  Star.  The  whole  is 
designed  as  a pleonastic  symbol  of  Life.  One  of  the  best 
examples  of  this  representation  of  the  “Tree  of  Life”  is  in 
the  Codex  Vienna.  Fig.  76  is  a copy  of  the  upper  part  of 
the  tree,  showing  the  form  of  the  cross. 


The  Aztec  astronomical  calendar  is  full  of  prodigious  and 
hidden  combinations  which  we  cannot  here  attempt  to  interpret. 
Five  Mexican  cycles,  of  fifty-two  years  each,  composed  the 
great  period  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  years ; and  four  of  these 
periods  made  up  the  Age,  or  Sun,  of  one  thousand  and  forty 
years.  We  give,  in  Figs.  77  to  80  inclusive,  the  symbol  for 
each  of  these  four  periods.  There  is,  moreover,  sculptured  in 
relief  in  one  of  the  many  monuments  of  Mexico  what  at  first 
glance  appears  to  be  a five-pointed  star  (Fig.  81).  It  is  really 
the  Sun  with  five  rays.  Each  of  these  rays  represents  a cycle  of 
fifty-two  years,  the  whole  making  their  chronological  period  of 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


43 


Fig.  77- 

First  Mexican  Period  of  260  Years 


Fig.  78. 

Second  Mexican  Period  of  260  years. 


Fig.  79- 

Third  Mexican  Period  of  260  Years. 


Fourth  Mexican  Period  of  260  Years. 


Fig.  81.  — General  Mexican  Period  of  260  Years 


44 


THE  CROSS 


two  hundred  and  sixty  years.  The  twenty  glyphs  of  the  inter- 
mediate vanes,  more- 
over, give  us  twenty 
cycles,  or  the  Age 
of  one  thousand  and 
forty  years. 

The  Mayas  of  Yu- 
catan indicated  their 
greatest  chronological 
period  of  eight  thou- 
sand years  by  the  Teu- 
tonic cross  of  Fig.  82. 
In  their  hieroglyphic 
literature  they  gener- 
ally used  Fig.  83  as 
a graphic  manner  for 
representing  this  same 
number,  since  the 

purse  was  supposed  to  hold  eight  thousand 
chocolate  beans, — the  currency  of  those  times. 

There  still  exists  in  the  ruins  of  Nachan, 
near  Palemke,  in  Yucatan,  a monolith  (Fig. 84), 
which  is  interesting  for  its  good  proportions 
and  fine  workmanship,  and  for  its  character, 
which  appears  Egyptian.  The  statue  is  of  life 
size,  and  has  a grand  head-dress  of  most  rare 
figure,  in  the  manner  of  a mitre  forming  a 


Fig.  82. 

Maya,  Period  of  8000  Years. 


Fig.  8 


Maya  Purse 


cross.  On  the  throat  is  seen  a wide  collar 


It  holds  in  its 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


45 


breast  with  its  right 
musical  instrument,  w 
that  forms  the  up- 
per part  of  a maxth , 
adorned  with  sym- 
bolic figures.  The 
statue  indisputably 
is  clothed  with  a 
shirt  and  leggings, 
and  apparently  has 
buskins  on  its  feet. 

It  stands  upon  a 
pedestal,  on  which 
is  sculptured  in  re- 
lief a hieroglyphic, 

— without  doubt 
the  name  of  the 
deity;  but  to  this 
day  not  interpreted. 
The  sides  of  the 
rock  are  finely 
carved  ; but  not  so 
the  posterior  por- 
tion, which  causes 
the  belief  that  the 
statue  originally 
projected  from  a 


u 


all. 


hand  an  object  that  can  be  taken  as  a 
bile  it  holds  in  its  left  hand  a medallion 

Professor  W.  H. 
Holmes,  of  the 
Smithsonian  Insti- 
tution at  Washing- 
ton, published,  in 
the  Second  Annual 
Report  of  the  Bu- 
reau of  Ethnology, 
a paper  upon  “ Art 
in  Shell  of  the  An- 
cient Americans.” 


Professor  Holmes, 
whose  skill  as  an 
artist  is  only  sur- 
passed by  his  sci- 
entific attainments, 
makes  in  this  paper 
a valuable  contribu- 
tion to  ethnological 
knowledge.  He  is 
the  personification 
of  caution  in  his 
statements,  but  re- 
specting the  works 

of  the  Mound-build- 
Fl'g-  §4-  „ T , 

Nachan  Monolith.  ers  says  • ia\e 


46 


Fig.  85. 

Fain’s  Island,  Tenn. 


Fig.  88. 

Union  County,  III. 


Fig.  91. 

Kf.i.leville,  III. 


THE  CROSS 


Lick  Creek,  Tenn. 


Fig.  87. 

Ohio  Copper  Disk. 


Fig.  89 

Charleston,  Mo. 


Fig.  90. 

Mississippi  Cross  and  Sun. 


Fig.  92. 

New  Madrid,  Mo 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


47 


not  seen  a single  example  of  engraving  upon  shell  that  sug- 
gested a foreign  hand,  or  a design,  with  the  exception  of  this 
one  [the  cross],  that  could  claim  a European  derivation.  . . . 
If  written  history  does  not  establish  beyond  a doubt  the  fact 
that  the  cross  had  a place  in  our  aboriginal  symbolism,  we 
have  but  to  turn  to  the  pages  of'  the  great  archaeological 
record,  where  we  find  that  it  occupies  a place  in  ancient 
American  art  so  intimately  interwoven  with  conceptions  pecu- 
liar to  the  continent  that  it  cannot  be  separated  from  them.” 
Let  us  look  at  some  of  his  examples  of  this  emblem  obtained 
from  the  districts  once  occupied  by  the  Mound-builders. 

The  cross,  as  shown  in  Fig.  85,  is  engraved  on  a shell  gorget 
found  on  Fain’s  Island,  Tennessee. 

Fig.  86  is  a typical  example,  and  obtained  from  a mound  on 
Lick  Creek,  Tennessee. 

Fig.  87  is  engraved  on  a large  copper  disk  from  an  Ohio 
mound. 

Fig.  88  is  from  a mound  in  Union  County,  Illinois. 

Pig.  89  represents  a large  shell  cross  that  was  sent  to  the 
National  Museum  at  Washington,  inside  of  a skull  obtained 
from  a grave  at  Charleston,  Missouri. 

Fig.  90,  found  in  an  ancient  sepulchre  in  Mississippi,  is  a 
remarkable  combination  of  two  symbols,  — the  cross  and  the 
sun.  It  is  engraved  on  a “bird"  gorget,  and  probably  was 
worn  as  a priestly  charm. 

A highly  conventionalized  cross  on  a “ spider  ” gorget,  ob- 
tained from  a mound  in  Illinois  opposite  the  city  of  St.  Louis, 
is  seen  in  Fig.  91 . 


48 


THE  CROSS 


A similar  gorget,  Fig.  92,  was  excavated  from  a mound  near 
New  Madrid,  Missouri. 

Fig.  93  is  from  a stone  grave,  and  came  from  the  same 
neighborhood  as  Fig.  91. 

The  looped  figure  which  is  of  frequent  occurrence  in  Mexi- 
can manuscripts,  is  also  found  on  many  shell  gorgets  from  the 
North  American  mounds.  Mr.  Holmes  suggests  that  it  may 
represent  an  enclosure,  a limit  or  boundary.  A cross  (Fig.  94) 
occupies  the  enclosed  area  in  nearly  all  examples. 

A cross  of  the  Greek  type  in  a star  or  sun,  enclosed  in  a 
looped  rectangle,  is  seen  in  Fig.  95.  It  is  from  a “bird” 
gorget  found  in  a stone  grave  in  Tennessee. 

The  dots  of  the  arms  and  circle  of  Fig.  96  suggest  an  Aztec 
affinity.  Schoolcraft  says  it  was  found  in  an  ancient  Indian 
grave  in  New  York  State. 

The  peculiar  examples  of  Figs.  97,  98,  and  99  were  painted 
upon  pottery  excavated  from  ancient  mounds. 

The  modern  Zuni  Indians  of  New  Mexico  decorate  their 
water  vases  with  very  grotesque  designs.  Fig.  100  is  more 
symmetrical  than  usual  with  these  decorations. 

The  Zunis  also  mark  their  ceramics  with  Fig.  101,  — the 
emblem  of  procreation  and  fertility.  Its  resemblance  to  the 
Hindoo  symbol  is  startling. 

This  same  interesting  tribe  of  Pueblo  Indians  worship  their 
sacred  water-fly,  or  “devil’s  darning-needle”  of  the  frontiers- 
men. This  is  a species  of  dragon-fly  of  the  family  Libcllulida. 
The  conventional  symbol  is  a cross,  Fig.  102. 

big.  103  is  painted  upon  a gourd-rattle  used  to-day  in  the 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


49 


Fig.  97- 

Mound  Pottery. 


Fig.  98. 

Mound  Pottery. 


Fig.  99. 

Mound  Pottery. 


Fig.  100.  Fig.  101. 

Zuni  Cross.  Zuni  Emblem 

ok  Fertility. 
4 


Fig-  103. 
Wolit  Cross. 


Fig.  102. 

Sacred  Water-fly. 


50 


THE  CROSS 


religious  dances  of  the  Wolpi  (ancient  Hualpai)  Indians  of 
Arizona. 

Let  us  close  our  study  with  a brief  examination  of  the  cele- 
brated cross,  Fig.  104,  preserved  until  recent  times  in  a con- 
vent of  Merida.  This  cross  came  from  the  Island  of  Cozumel, 
off  the  coast  of  Yucatan  ; and  the  early  monks  claimed  that  it 
had  been  originally  worshipped  by  the  natives.  Stephens,  in 
his  “Travels  in  Yucatan,”  very  justly  reasoned  that  this  was 
impossible.  He  considered  the  claim  of  the  friars  as  frau- 
dulent and  as  “ completely  invalidating  the  strongest  proof 
offered  at  this  day  that  the  cross  was  recognized  by  the 
Indians  as  a symbol  of  worship.”  Prescott,  in  his  “Origin 
of  Mexican  Civilization,”  well  says  that  this  inference  “ is  by 
no  means  admissible.  Nothing  could  be  more  natural  than 
that  the  friars  in  Merida  should  endeavor  to  give  celebrity 
to  their  convent  by  making  it  the  possessor  of  so  remarkable 
a monument  as  the  very  relic  which  proved,  in  their  eyes,  that 
Christianity  had  been  preached  at  some  earlier  date  among 
the  natives.  But  the  real  proof  of  the  existence  of  the  cross 
as  an  object  of  worship  in  the  New  World  does  not  rest  on 
such  spurious  monuments  as  these,  but  on  the  unequivocal 
testimony  of  the  Spanish  discoverers  themselves.”  The  true 
history  of  the  Cozumel  cross  is  found  in  a very  rare  and  valu- 
able book,  “ Informe  contra  Idolorum  Cultores  del  Obispado  de 
Ivcatan,”  written  by  Dr.  Pedro  Sanchez  de  Aguilar,  dean  of  the 
cathedral  of  Madrid,  and  published  by  him  in  that  city  in 
1639.  The  Canon  mentions  that  Cortez,  after  he  met  the 
escaped  captive  Jeronimo  de  Aguilar  — who  did  such  signal 


IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


Fig.  104.  — The  Cross  of  Cozumel. 


52 


THE  CROSS  IN  THE  OCCIDENT. 


service  as  an  interpreter — in  the  Island  of  Cozumel,  “there 
erected  a cross  and  commanded  the  natives  to  worship  it,  when 
he  passed  on  to  New  Spain  with  his  armada.”  Governor  Diego 
Fernandez  de  Velasco  removed  this  cross  to  Merida  in  the  year 
1604.  The  worthy  dean  further  advises  that  “ a native  pagan 
priest  named  Chilan  Cambal  took  this  cross  as  a theme  for 
a poem  in  his  own  tongue  referring  to  the  arrival  of  the 
Conquerors.”  This  was  ten  years  before  Governor  Montejo 
returned  to  conquer  the  Peninsula ; and,  consequently,  the 
Spaniards  — not  knowing  or  remembering  that  Cortez  had 
touched  at  Cozumel  Island  in  the  year  1519 — “thought  that 
the  Indians  had  raised  this  cross  in  remote  times,  and  that  the 
poem  of  Chilan  Cambal  was  a prophecy.”  Here  fabula  docet  a 
very  important  fact,  and  one  that  we  must  always  take  into 
account  in  the  study  of  Aztec  traditions,  — that  in  the  first 
days  of  the  Conquest  the  Indians  mixed  in  their  own  records  a 
great  deal  of  what  they  were  learning  from  the  Spaniards. 
Therefore  the  antiquarian  must  carefully  winnow  the  grains 
of  truth  from  the  chaff  of  marvellous  stories  written  by  the 
chroniclers  of  that  period. 


THE  END. 


' 


STS  5 7 

— . - 


